Golf bag stand

ABSTRACT

A stand for supporting a golf bag in an upright position on the ground and including a telescopic body having a hook at the upper end of the golf bag and a base at the lower end of the body engageable beneath the golf bag, the body having a spike reciprocable therein between a retracted position and an extended position with the spike sticking in the ground to hold the stand in an upright position; the base has a flexible band adapted to be clamped about the pan of the golf bag with the upper edge portions of the pan turned inwardly and engaging a horizontal shoulder on the pan.

United States Patent Schilz May 30, 1972 [54] GOLF BAG STAND 2,848,803 8/1958 Schock ..287/20 R X 1,502,300 7/1924 Fairchild ..248/96 X [721 l 174 3,195,844 7/1965 Roepke ..248/96 Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626 [22] Filed. July 27, 1970 Primary Examiner-Chancellor E. Harris AttorneyNewton H, Lee, Jr. [21] Appl. No.: 58,593

ABSTRACT [5 2] US. Cl ..248/96, 150/ 1 .5 B A stand for supporting a golf bag in an upright position on the [5]] Int. Cl ..A63b 55/04, A63b 55/10 ground and including a telescopic body having a hook at the [58] Field of Search ..248/96; 280/DlG. 6; 150/ 1.5 B upper end of the golf bag and a base at the lower end of the body engageable beneath the golf bag, the body having a spike [56] ma reciprocable therein between a retracted position and an extended position with the spike sticking in the ground to hold UNITED STATES PATENTS the stand inan upright position; the base has a flexible band adapted to be clamped about the pan of the golf bag with the 1,291,359 l/l9l9 Babcock... ..24I/96 upper edge portions ofthc p turnedinwardly and g g g 3 2,453,565 1 H1948 Barden .248/96 horizontal shoulder on the pm 1,924,183 8/1933 Fritz ..248/96 2,633,317 3/1953 Marsh... ..248/96 9Cllims,4Drawing Figures 22 D t j T J I I I l l 3 W I 17 it PATENTEU MAY 30 I972 INVENTOR VZNCZ'NT P, JC'HIL 2 BY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to golf bag stands and, more particularly, to a stand adapted to be removably connected to conventional bag for golf clubs. Such a bag typically comprises an elongated hollow body having reinforcing ribs extending longitudinally therein to prevent collapse of the bag when it is composed of flexible material, such as leather or fabric; but the bag may be composed of self-supporting material. In any event, it is desirable in the playing of a game of golf that the bag be placed on the ground in an upright position afiording ease of removal and insertion of selected golf clubs to be used by the player, depending upon the need for different clubs under different circumstances. It is preferred that the bag be in an upright or substantially upright position to also facilitate the lifting of the bag to the players shoulder by the usual shoulder strap so that the as need not bend over to lift the bag. When the bag remains in an upright position, moreover, the bag as well as the clubs therein are protected from being soiled particularly when the golf course is wet.

2. The Prior Art:

The state of the art is generally represented by the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,195,844 K.I Roepke July 20, 1965 2,633,317 l-I.S. Marsh Mar. 31, 1953 1,978,242 A.A. Zack Oct. 23, 1934.

As taught by the Roepke U.S. Pat No. 3,195,844, the provision of golf bag stands attachable to the upper end of a golf bag and to the pan of the golf bag by the use of a hook at the upper end of a telescope body and a removable clamping band engageable with the pan of the bag to secure the pan in place on the base of the stand are well known. The stand is provided with a collapsible brace so that the stand with the golf bag supported thereby is adapted to be supported in a slightly inclined, but substantially, vertical position. The use of ground engaging spikes associated with golf bag stands to hold the bag upright is taught by the Marsh U.S. Pat. No. 2,633,317, and the Zack U.S. Pat. No. 1,978,242.v

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a golf bag stand which is comparatively easy to produce and which is more effectively secured to a golf bag. a

More particularly, the present invention provides a telescopic tubular stand body adapted to be connected by a hook to the upper end of the bag and by a base and a releasable band to the lower end or pan of the bag. In order to more effectively secure the stand to the bag, the band has upper edge portions turned inwardly for engagement with a horizontal shoulder customarily provided on the pan of the bag. The spike for maintaining the stand in an upright position is assembled within the tubular body in a simple and inexpensive manner and, the tubular body is interconnected wit the base of the stand to maintain the base and the body in assembly.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other purposes which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of a form in which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the present specification. It will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a golf bag stand made in accordance with the invention, with the golf bag shown in broken lines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in vertical section taken on the line 2-2 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section as taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and showing the retracted position of the stand supporting spike; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section, as taken on the line 4-4 of FIG 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As seen in FIG. 1, a stand, generally denoted at S, is removably attached to a typical golf club bag, generally denoted at B, and is adapted to support the bag in a substantially upright position when the combined bag and stand are placed on the ground, so as to facilitate the removal and insertion of golf clubs by a player and so as to eliminate the practice of laying the bag down on the ground.

The bag B illustratively includes a tubular bag body 10 having a suitable upper, reinforced rim 11 and the usual lower reinforcing pan 12. The bag body 10 may be composed of relatively flexible material, under which circumstances it is reinforced with longitudinal stays which will prevent the bag from collapsing, or alternatively, the bag may be otherwise constructed or composed of material so that the bag body 10 is self-supporting. On the bag body 10 is the usual shoulder strap T with which a player can transport the bag as he moves around a golf course. The illustrated bag B also includes a side pocket 13 for golf balls or other pariphemalia.

The stand S comprises an illustrated tubular body 20 to the upper end of which is telescopically attached a tubular body section 21 having an end hook 22 which is adapted to engage the reinforced rim 1 l of the bag body 10. In order to adjust the length of the stand to fit different bags, the body section 21 is adapted to be selectively connected to the tubular body 20 at a number of telescopic relative positions, and accordingly the body 20 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes 23 and the body section 21 has a hole 24 adapted to register with a selected hole 23, whereby a pin 25 is adapted to interlock the body 20 and the body section 21 in a selected adjusted position, depending upon the height of the bag.

At the lower end of the stand body 20 is a base plate 26 adapted to engage beneath the pan 12 of the bag body 10. This base plate may be of any desired form, but is illustratively generally triangular and is connected, as will be later described, to the lower extremity of the stand body 20. Suitably aflixed on the base 26 is an upstanding bracket 27 which as best seen in FIG. 4 has a pair of spaced vertically extended slots 28, 28 adapted to receive a flexible band 29 composed of suitable resilient material, such as stainless steel, which will allow the band 29 to be inserted through the slots 28 to connect the band 29 to the base plate 26. At its ends, the band 29 has a suitable releasable latch means 30 including, on the respective band ends, prongs 31 adapted to engage in openings 32. The details of the latch means 30 are not material and various releasable latch devices may be utilized for adjusting the band 29 about the pan 12 of golf bags of various pan diameters, and thereby suitably tensioning the band 29 about the pan 12. The slots 28 are of greater length than the height of the band 29, so that the band is vertically adjustable to fit pans of different heights.

On the upper edge of the band at circumferentially spaced locations, the band has in-tumed flange sections 33 separated by inwardly divergent notches 34 so as to allow the band to assume the necessary circular configuration about the bag 8 with the flange section 33 overlying a horizontal shoulder 12a on the pan 12. As best seen in FIG. 2, the pan 12 may be constructed with an intermediate shoulder such as the shoulder 12a, then the flange sections 33 of the band 29 may engage the upper pan shoulder 12b, as is apparent without need of further illustration or description, the significant point being that the band 29 provides the in-tumed flange means for abutting engagement with a circumferentially extended shoulder provided by the pan 12 of the bag B.

In order to hold the stand S and thus a bag B mounted on the stand in an upright attitude, when the stand is placed on the ground, a pin or spike 35 is reciprocable in the stand body 20 between the full line position of FIG. 3, at which the spike 35 projects downwardly below the plate 26, and the broken line position, at which the spike 35 is fully retracted into the body 20, so that the point 36 of the spike 35 poses no hazard. In order to forcibly insert the spike 35 into the ground when it is desired that the stand be held upright, a foot pedal 37 projects laterally through an elongated vertical slot 38 in the outer side of the stand body 20, and internally of the body 20, the foot pedal 37 is provided with an opening 39 through which the spike 35 extends. Movement of the pedal 37 downwardly relatively to the spike 35 is prevented by a suitable stop, such as a split ring washer 40 which is engaged with the spike 35. In order to retract the spike 35 to the broken line position of FIG. 3, a coiled compression spring 41 is disposed within the stand body about the spike 35, with the upper end of the spring 41 seating against the split washer 40 and with the lower end of the spring 41 seating on a boss 42 which is suitably affixed to the plate 26, the spike 35 extending through a central opening 43 in the boss 42 and through the plate 26, so that the spring 41 normally acts to shift the spike 35 upwardly. Internally of the stand body 20 is at least one bushing 44 having a central opening 45 through which the spike 35 slidably extends. In the illustrated embodiment, an upper bushing 46, also having a central opening 47, is also provided to better guide the spike 35 as'it moves between its two positions.

For simplicity of assembly, the boss 42 is provided with external annular groove or other indentation 48 into which the lower end of the body 20 is staked or deformed as indicated at 49. Similarly, the body 20 may be deformed as at 50 into a groove 51 in the bushing 44 and deformed as at 52 into a groove 53in the upper bushing 46.

In order to eliminate objectionable noise caused by the forceful retraction of the spike 35 into the body 20 a suitable felt or other cusioning bumper 54 may be provided in the body 20 below the lower bushing or guide 44, so that the bumper 54 will be engaged by the foot pedal 37 as the latter moves upwardly along with the spike 35 under the influence of the spring 41.

In order to assemble the stand body 20 with the base plate 26 and to assemble the spike 35 and the foot pedal 37 in the stand body 20, guides or bushings 44 or 46 are first installed in the body 20 of the stand with the body 20 separated from the boss 42; and thereafter the inner end 37a of the foot pedal 37 which has a thickness less than the width of the slot 38 is inserted through the slot and the upper end of the spike 35 inserted through the end 37a of the foot pedal 37 as well as through the openings 45 and 47 in the guides 44 and 46, respectively. Thereafter, the spring 41 is inserted into the body 20 and the lower end of the body 20 placed in position about the boss 42, the body 20 then being staked or deformed, as indicated at 49, to secure the body 20 to the boss 42.

Thus, it is apparent that the present invention provides an inexpensive stand which is easy to assemble and apply to various golf bags of different constructions and sizes, without requiring modification of the bag, so as to enable the maintenance of the golf bag in an upright position by insertion of the spike into the ground. In use, the player simply rests the stand S and bag B on the ground, with the spike 35 retracted, and applies foot pressure to the foot pedal 37 to depress the latter forcing the spike 35 into the ground. The spring 41 is selected so that spike retracting force is inadequate to retract the spike 35 from the ground after the spike has been forced into the ground. However, when the bag is to be moved by the player, he need only elevate the bag to his shoulder, whereby the spike 35 will be pulled from the ground and then immediately and automatically retracted by the spring 41 to its inner position, at which the spike is entirely within the body 20 and poses no hazard to the user or others.

lclaim:

l. A golf bag stand adapted to be attached to a golf bag having a pan providing an outstanding upwardly facing shoulder adjacent to the bottom of the bag and an upper rim, said stand comprising a telescopic, hollow body having means at the upper end of the body engageable with said rim of said bag and a base engageable beneath the pan of said bag, said base including a flexible band adapted to encircle the pan of the bag and having releasable latch means for securing said band about the pan of said bag, said band having at its upper edge in-turned flange means engageable with said shoulder of said pan, reciprocable spike means shiftable in said body between a retracted position and a position which said spike means extends outwardly from said body for insertion into the ground to hold said stand in an upright position, and means for moving said spike means between said positions.

2. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said inturned flange means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced flange sections, adjacent flange sections being separated by notches whereby said band is adapted to encircle the pan of the bag.

3. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for actuating said spike means between said positions includes a foot pedal connected to said spike means within said body, said body having an elongated slot and said foot pedal means extending outwardly from said body through said slot, and a coil spring within said body and engaged between said foot pedal and said base.

4. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said base comprises a plate, said plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, and means connecting the lower end of said body to said boss.

5. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said base comprises a plate, said plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, and means connecting the lower end of said body to said boss, including an indentation in said boss and a deformed portion in said body engaged in said indentation.

6. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said base comprises a plate, said plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, and means connecting the lower end of said body to said boss, including an indentation in said boss and a deformed portion in said body engaged in said indentation, said body having a guide bushing therein spaced from said boss through which said spike means is reciprocable, said bushing having an indentation, and said body having a portion deformed into said indentation.

7. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for actuating said spike means between said positions includes a foot pedal connected to said spike means within said body, said body having an elongated slot and said foot pedal means extending outwardly from said body through said slot, and a coil spring within said body and engaged between said foot pedal and said base, said base comprising a plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, said body and said boss having means connecting an end of said body to said boss, and said spring means comprising a coiled compression spring seating at one end on said boss and at the other end against said foot pedal.

8. A golf bag stand adapted to be attached to a golf bag having a pan and an upper rim, said stand comprising a telescopic, hollow body having means at the upper end of the body engageable with said rim of said bag and a base engageable beneath the pan of said bag, said base including a flexible band adapted to encircle the pan of the bag and having releasable latch means for securing said band about the pan of said bag, reciprocable spike means shiftable insaid body between a retracted position and a position which said spike means extends outwardly from said body for insertion into the ground to hold said stand in an upright position, and means for moving said spike means between said positions, said base comprising a plate, said plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, means connecting the lower end of said body to said boss, and said means for actuating said spike means between said positions includes a foot pedal connected to said spike means in said body, said body having an elon- 6 band extending through said slots, and said slots having a length greater than the height of said band to enable said intumed flange means to engage the upwardly facing shoulder of pans of different heights. 

1. A golf bag stand adapted to be attached to a golf bag having a pan providing an outstanding upwardly facing shoulder adjacent to the bottom of the bag and an upper rim, said stand comprising a telescopic, hollow body having means at the upper end of the body engageable with said rim of said bag and a base engageable beneath the pan of said bag, said base including a flexible band adapted to encircle the pan of the bag and having releasable latch means for securing said band about the pan of said bag, said band having at its upper edge in-turned flange means engageable with said shoulder of said pan, reciprocable spike means shiftable in said body between a retracted position and a position which said spike means extends outwardly from said body for insertion into the ground to hold said stand in an upright position, and means for moving said spike means between said positions.
 2. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said in-turned flange means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced flange sections, adjacent flange sections being separated by notches whereby said band is adapted to encircle the pan of the bag.
 3. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for actuating said spike means between said positions includes a foot pedal connected to said spike means within said body, said body having an elongated slot and said foot pedal means extending outwardly from said body through said slot, and a coil spring within said body and engaged between said foot pedal and said base.
 4. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said base comprises a plate, said plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, and means connecting the lower end of said body to said boss.
 5. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said base comprises a plate, said plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, and means connecting the lower end of said body to said boss, including an indentation in said boss and a deformed portion in said body engaged in said indentation.
 6. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said base comprises a plate, said plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, and means connecting the lower end of said body to said boss, including an indentation in said boss and a deformed portion in said body engaged in said indentation, said body having a guide bushing therein spaced from said boss through which said spike means is reciprocable, said bushing having an indEntation, and said body having a portion deformed into said indentation.
 7. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for actuating said spike means between said positions includes a foot pedal connected to said spike means within said body, said body having an elongated slot and said foot pedal means extending outwardly from said body through said slot, and a coil spring within said body and engaged between said foot pedal and said base, said base comprising a plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, said body and said boss having means connecting an end of said body to said boss, and said spring means comprising a coiled compression spring seating at one end on said boss and at the other end against said foot pedal.
 8. A golf bag stand adapted to be attached to a golf bag having a pan and an upper rim, said stand comprising a telescopic, hollow body having means at the upper end of the body engageable with said rim of said bag and a base engageable beneath the pan of said bag, said base including a flexible band adapted to encircle the pan of the bag and having releasable latch means for securing said band about the pan of said bag, reciprocable spike means shiftable in said body between a retracted position and a position which said spike means extends outwardly from said body for insertion into the ground to hold said stand in an upright position, and means for moving said spike means between said positions, said base comprising a plate, said plate having a boss upstanding thereon, said boss having an opening for movement of said spike means through said boss, means connecting the lower end of said body to said boss, and said means for actuating said spike means between said positions includes a foot pedal connected to said spike means in said body, said body having an elongated slot through which said foot pedal projects outwardly from said body, and a coil spring within said body and engaged between said foot pedal and said boss for retracting said spike means.
 9. A golf bag stand as defined in claim 1, said boss having a bracket upstanding thereon and having vertical slots, said band extending through said slots, and said slots having a length greater than the height of said band to enable said inturned flange means to engage the upwardly facing shoulder of pans of different heights. 